Ghanaian lawmakers are facing backlash over a bill before Ghana's parliament that aims to make LGBTQ-rights advocacy illegal, Voice of America reported. Eight lawmakers are sponsoring the bill, which would impose a maximum 10-year prison sentence on people who support and advocate for same-sex and gay rights; individuals or groups would also not be allowed to provide social or medical support to LGBTQ+ people. The head of LGBTQ+ Rights Ghana, Alex Kofi Donkor, described the bill as backward and wants the international community to pressure the government to withdraw it.
The first Gay Pride Parade was held in the Cayman Islands, and hundreds of people, many clad in rainbow colors, marched along West Bay Road, the Cayman Compass reported. At the front of the paradein a show of support for gay rights and diversity and all wearing Cayman LGBTQ Foundation T-shirtswere Premier Wayne Panton, Opposition representative Barbara Conolly and Gov. Martyn Roper. Noel Cayasso-Smithfounder of the Cayman LGBTQ Foundation, which organized the eventthanked the politicians for their support.
Pride in London, one of the largest LGBT+ events in Britain, has cancelled its annual parade citing COVID-19 restrictions for a second consecutive year, PinkNews reported. Pride in London had been pencilled for Sept. 11 after the 2020 march was scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic. Listing other large-scale public events that have been pulled for similar concerns, such as Brighton Pride and the Notting Hill Carnival, London Pride Executive Director Christopher Joell-Deshields stated, "The team and I agree [that] public health and well-being is our top priority."
Taiwan will not send a team to next year's Gay Games in Hong Kong because of fears their athletes and staff could be arrested if they wave the island's flag or use its name, france24.com reported. The revelation means the only place in Asia to have legalized same-sex marriage will not be at the continent's first-ever Gay Games. It comes at a time when Taiwan's record success at the Tokyo Olympics has reignited debate on the self-ruled island about its name at international sporting events; Taiwan must compete under the name "Chinese Taipei" and is not allowed to use its flag or national anthem at the Olympics and other sporting events.
Four-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel was reprimanded for not removing a "Same Love" T-shirt promoting LGBTQ+ rights ahead of the national anthem at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Openly News noted. Three other driversMercedes' Valtteri Bottas, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Vettel's Aston Martin teammate Lance Strollwere also reprimanded for failing to remove their 'We Race As One' T-shirts in time for the national anthem. Vettel and the other drivers said they had forgotten to take off their T-shirts because of the onset of rain. Vettel, who has also worn shoes with a rainbow stripe, has spoken out against anti-LGBTQ legislation along with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who called on Hungarians to vote against it.
Openly gay Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar is back with his first film since 2019's Oscar-nominated Pain and Glory, and he's reuniting with some of his favorite muses, including Penelope Cruz, Rossy de Palma and Julieta Serrano, IndieWire noted. Described by the filmmaker as an "intense drama," Parallel Mothers makes its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 1. The film is written and directed by Almodovar, and stars both regular and new collaborators Cruz and De Palma, plus Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde and Aitana Sanchez-Gijon. Sony Pictures Classics will release the film stateside Dec. 24.
In Spain, Snickers pulled a controversial advertisement after it was widely condemned for being "homophobic," PinkNews noted. The 20-second ad shows Spanish influencer Aless Gibaja flamboyantly order a "sexy orange juice" while at a beach bar with a friend. Gibaja is then given a Snickers ice-cream bar by a waiterand is transformed into a bearded man with a deep voice after taking a bite. A friend asks if he is feeling "better," and the bearded man replies that he is while the tagline reads: "You're not yourself when you're hungry." After much blowback, Snickers Spain announced on Instagram that it was stopping the campaign and apologized for any "misunderstanding" it may have caused with the ad.
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo named Guido Bellido, a member of his far-left Marxist party, as prime minister, dimming hopes of a moderate administration, Reuters reported. Bellido and the rest of the cabinet will need confirmation by the opposition-led Congress, where Bellido's appointment in particular is set to face stiff resistance. A majority of Congress votes are held by center and right-wing parties.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials admitted at a roundtable with reporters that the guidelines governing the participation of transgender women in Olympic sports are outdated, Yahoo! News noted. They also confirmed that the IOC will announce a new policy soon after the Tokyo Games. The IOC made the admission as New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard prepared to become the first openly transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics.
After rumors of several gay British celebrities joining the popular dance show started swirling, it is now confirmed that Great British Bake Off season three winner John Whaite will be joining Strictly Come Dancing as a part of the show's first all-male team, according to out.com . In a statement, Whaite said that he's "grateful, excited, and nervous" to be joining the show. "I've been wearing sequins and jazzy attire since I was three years old and can't wait to hurl myself, full throttle, around the most glamorous dance floor on earth," he said. Last year, Olympic boxer Nicola Adams and dancer Katya Jones competed together, but unfortunately, had to drop out when Jones got sick.
In England, a street preacher received a wet response to his homophobic sermon when he was doused with milk, out.com noted. According to a report in Hull Daily Mail, an unnamed man was standing on a bench in Queen Victoria Square, in the city of Hull, preaching his attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. Young people were standing up and fighting back with strong words and by waving rainbow flags close to the man's face; then, someone drenched the preacher with milk. "LGBTQ community," the preacher proclaimed immediately. "The loving, loving, tolerant, [expletive deleted] LGBT communitythere it is."
A Spanish judge investigating alleged tax fraud by Colombian musician Shakira recently recommended that the case go to trial after concluding there is evidence that the pop star could have avoided her fiscal obligations to the state, USA Today reported. Judge Marco Juberías wrote that his three-year probe found there existed "sufficient evidence of criminality" for the case to go to a trial judge. (The decision can be appealed.) Prosecutors charged the singer in December 2019 with not paying 14.5 million euros ($16.4 million) in taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, when she lived mostly in the country despite having an official residence in Panama.
Gay British diver Tom Daley added a bronze medal to the gold he also won at the Tokyo Olympics, People noted. He took third in the men's 10-meter platform final Aug. 7 in Tokyo. Daley was already an Olympic champion after winning his first-ever gold with partner Matty Lewis in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform July 26. Daley's husband, U.S. screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, tweeted, "Are you kidding me?! Another Olympic medal! Two for two! So so so proud of you my love! Now bring those medals home my sweet champion."
At the Tokyo Olympics, the German modern pentathlon coach was disqualified and wasn't part of the individual final after she hit a horse with her fist earlier in the Games, Yahoo! News noted. Coach Kim Raisner, according to Reuters, hit a horse with her fist during Friday's show jumping in Tokyo and urged a German rider to "really hit" the horse when it didn't want to jump.